Animals, like humans, require warmth to maintain a constant body temperature. This is especially true when animals are sick or are left outdoors in the cold winter months. However, there are few, if any, safe and convenient devices for this purpose.
Most commercially available heated beds contain electrical heating elements surrounded by insulation and padding, much like heating pads for humans. However, there are several disadvantages when attempting to use these devices with animals. The most obvious danger is that the animal may chew through the padding, exposing the animal to the risk of electrocution.
Another problem with heated animal beds is the likelihood of producing regions of localized heat, often referred to as "hot spots." Unlike humans, who can simply turn down the temperature of a heating pad if it is too hot, animals cannot regulate the temperature of their heated bed. Since this apparatus is used while the animal is asleep, the animal may not even realize that the bed is too hot. This exposes the animal to possible burns, and if severe enough, even death.
Furthermore, "hot spots" are a fire hazard. Pet owners often place bedding on top of the animal bed to provide comfort for the animal. Some bedding sold in pet stores is not capable of withstanding high temperatures. Exposing this bedding to such regions of localized heat may cause it to catch fire.
Prior commercial products have attempted to solve this problem by embedding the heating element in plastic. However, this greatly lowers the efficiency of the heater, thereby increasing the cost of operating the bed. Other products have attached the heating element to the base of the bed. This leaves a gap between the top of the bed and the heating element which can be filled with air or water. This also lowers the efficiency of the heater because much of the heat is transmitted to the base, thus never reaching the animal. Furthermore, the addition of water adds a substantial amount of weight to the bed, making it less mobile.